Grape vines aren’t the only thing that grow deep at 13th Street Winery, but so too do family roots. The family farm has been in St. Catharines for over 100 years.
On the unique terroir of Niagara, in Ontario’s rich wine country, you’ll find this celebrated winery that is now co-owned by Doug Whitty and his wife Karen, the third generation to be operating the family farm that was first established in 1908 by Doug’s grandfather.
The Whitty’s partnered on the venture with friends John and June Mann, another family with strong roots in Niagara — and in farming. The couples’ joint passion and appreciation for good food and good wine brought them together, and provided for a shared vision for the business’s success.
The winery certainly is well established and well admired, in Niagara and beyond. With award-winning wines, a sought-after tourist destination, and host to some very popular community events, their agricultural business serves as a perfect model for what good local food/beverage, combined with dedicated people and hard work, can bring to a community.
13th Street Winery currently employs 20 people, and 100% of the wines they produce are made from fruit sourced exclusively in the Niagara Peninsula (with 85% or more coming from their own vineyards). The first vines were planted at the 13th Street Vineyard in 1976; since, they’ve planted Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Pinot Gris, and now have accumulated more than 40 acres of estate vineyards in the VQA Creek Shores appellation of Niagara.
Each new generation continues to employ a sustainable and minimal interventionist approach, respecting the life of the land and ensuring it stays healthy for future generations. Their vineyards use Vertical Shoot Positioning, with yields kept low so the vines’ energy is directed to an ideal number of bunches. And to maintain control of the quality, they hand pick and field sort the grapes.
The beauty of their vineyards and landscaping, the various special events, the popular bakery, farm market, and of course the wine itself, all help to draw an abundance of visitors year-round.
After hosting an Edge Planning Workshop on the impressive property last month, the Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance has to agree that the winery indeed stands out.
Currently, the booming winery is undertaking a busy, elaborate expansion, but Doug Whitty took some time to chat with us about their exciting developments and the successful business they have upheld:
What are your plans for the winery’s expansion?
D.W: Our new expansion entails upgraded production facilities including crush pad, tank room, barrel cellar, shipping/receiving and a warehousing, plus a new tasting room, special events space, a new bakery and farm store. We have also expanded our outdoor sculpture park, landscaped grounds, food service and wine educational programs.
Our expansion is intended to help us become more efficient, more profitable, more attractive, and to capitalize upon the strengths of our staff and the exciting success of the Ontario wine industry. Karen and I also feel that the time is right in our own lives to make an aggressive move especially now that interest rates are low. I also represent the third generation of the Whitty family to farm in Niagara since my grandfather started in 1908. We hope that the changes and effort which Karen and I have made will make our agricultural business attractive and possible for the next generation to continue if they wish.
What is the meaning or value of local wineries to you?
D.W: Local wineries are very important to the Niagara Region, as they help define our area as a unique area of Ontario and are an important part of our local economy. Niagara wineries support many direct and indirect jobs and provide many spin off benefits to others in our community such as tourism and culinary experiences.
You clearly have quite the successful business, but what challenges have you faced?
D.W: A major challenge for 13th Street Winery and all other local wineries is to increase market access and market share in our own province so that more Ontarian’s can experience and share the great quality wines and tourism experiences we offer in Niagara. Ultimately I believe that the challenge, but more so the opportunity, is to continue to strive towards creating similar conditions which exist in most other wine regions of the world whereby people recognize, enjoy and take pride in the wine and the food produced from their own land and value it as an important personal expression of culture.
How does 13th Street Winery continue to stand out?
D.W: In terms of wine production, 13th Street Winery stands out in its focus upon production of sparkling wine made in the traditional method and carefully crafted wines utilizing Gamay Noir. Visitors to 13th Street also have the opportunity to enjoy a unique variety of experiences such as our popular bakery, farm market, beautiful landscaping, permanent art installations. special events and rotating art shows. 13th Street Winery also is known for hosting the very popular “Grapes of Wrath” obstacle and mud run every summer in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.
I feel that 13th Street Winery stands out because we are very fortunate to have many knowledgeable, passionate and caring people on our staff who want to provide the best products and service possible.
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Thanks to Doug Whitty for taking the time to chat with us. If you’d like to visit 13th Street Winery, be sure to check out their website here for more information.
All photos from 13th Street Winery’s Facebook page.